University of Alabama students gather with hopes of ending institutional racism within school's Greek system

University of Alabama President Judy Bonner joined students on the steps of the Rose Administration Building. Students and faculty marched from the steps of Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library to Rose at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday Sept. 18, 2013. They demonstrated to voice their displeasure with UA's handling of sorority segregation.

Robert Sutton | The Tuscaloosa News

Ed EnochStaff Writer | The Tuscaloosa News

Published: Wednesday, September 18, 2013 at 9:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, September 18, 2013 at 2:59 p.m.

A few hundred students and faculty gathered Wednesday morning at Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library on the University of Alabama campus before marching to the Rose Administration Building to rally in support of ending institutionalized racism within the school's Greek System.

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The group, which is urging the administration to take decisive action, gathered before a banner proclaiming: “The final stand in the Schoolhouse Door.”

The demonstration came a week after the Crimson White reported that at least two black women were denied bids by traditionally white sororities because of their race, and just days after university president Judy Bonner acknowledged segregation has persisted in the university's Greek community. Bonner has since reiterated a pledge that the administration would take steps to increase diversity.

Many Wednesday morning expressed admiration for the sorority members who spoke out after alumnae allegedly interfered with the recruitment process to deny bids to the black women.

Yardena Wolf, a sophomore majoring in Political Science, spoke to the gathering, saying the women inadvertently created a moment for campus to have an honest conversation about diversity and racism.

The challenges of increasing diversity, Wolf said, are long-term questions for the UA community.

“These issues are not easy, and they will not be fixed overnight,” she said.

Wolf, a member of Alpha Omicron Pi, believes the 50 years since UA's successful integration isn't that much time to overcome all of the many racial issues that persist in campus culture.

Wolf said integration of traditionally white sororities was a frequent topic during fall rush in August, with sorority members speculating whether it would happen this year or next.

“These girls who came, they were amazing,” Wolf said of the black women who participated in the fall rush in August.

Kortlan Patterson, a sophomore from Houston who is not a member of a Greek organization, spoke at the rally, echoing Wolf's calls for a campus conversation about the challenges of integration.

Patterson said she believes the efforts of campus groups, including Greek and non-Greek, will help continue the push for reforms.

“I think because we have a partnership it will help with accountability for lasting change,” Patterson said.

Lloyd Wyse, a junior management information systems major, believes the administration's response thus far has been “a knee-jerk reaction to the media coverage.” Furthermore, she hopes the demonstration will help ensure permanent changes.

Wyse said he is fine with the concept of exclusive organizations -- so long as the membership criteria is based on achievement. The problem is when characteristics people have no control over, such as race, are considered.

“That's not Ok,” he said.

Sam Gerard, president of the College Democrats, said he hopes for more discussion with the administration about “tactile” things that can be done.

“To have something substantial happen, rather than a few videos,” he said.

Gerard also hopes the campus community remains focused enough to sustain a push for changes.

“It's very easy for the student body to forget about events like this,” he added.

Bonner, who, at the behest of organizers, made a brief appearance at Wednesday's rally, said afterward, she had been aware of the historic segregation among traditionally all-white and all-black Greek organizations, and had been working on plans to address the situation before reports broke of discrimination in sorority recruitment last week.

Bonner said the preliminary work included removing barriers to integration, real or perceived, within the Greek organizations.

“In order for change to come about, there has to be white students who want to join black groups and there have to be black students who want to join historically white,” she said. “The students wanted to make this happen. The students said there were barriers that were preventing them from making it happen.”

Bonner said many internal barriers for sorority members have been identified, such as fear of backlash from their organizations, “procedural issues” and fear of intense media coverage of Greek organizations surrounding historic integrations.

Bonner used the intense coverage of Carla Ferguson, who joined the Gamma Phi Beta chapter in 2003 as its first black member, as an example.

“The students did not want to play this out in the media,” Bonner said.

Bonner and Deborah M. Lane, associate vice president for University relations, said “procedural issues” included the size of the chapters.

Bonner mandated earlier this week that sororities immediately begin a continuous open-bid process, and the Alabama Panhellenic Association followed by voting Monday to increasing the size of the 17 chapters it oversees to 360.

Bonner said the university has been working with local and national chapters to address concerns about alleged interference by alumnae.

Bonner reiterated that the university would not tolerate discrimination in any of its campus organizations.

The rally, organized by students, drew admiration from the many of the faculty and instructors in attendance.

“I'm thrilled, and I love that its jam packed with students,” Faculty Senate President Steve Miller said.

Said Faculty Sen. Steven Bunker, an associate professor or History, “It's a very good sign for reform on this campus.”

Michelle Fuentes, a 28-year-old doctoral student in Political Science, said the rally was incredible.

Fuentes, who wore a yellow bandanna that signified a leadership role in the gathering, said the undergraduates used social media and calls to friends and acquaintances to organize participants. She called the rally an important point in her graduate and undergraduate career at UA.

“It's impressive to see it happening today,” she said.

Fuentes, a California native, came to the university 10 years ago and pledged a sorority with the expectation of finding a wonderful sisterhood.

“I saw those Greek houses with rose-colored eyes,” she said.

Fuentes was disappointed to discover a lack of diversity and was put off by the way sororities participated in campus politics.

Like many of the students and faculty at the gathering, Fuentes called the administration's acknowledgement of racial segregation among the Greeks and assurances action would be taken to increase diversity, a positive step.

Fuentes said organizers hope to continue the effort with future events and other public conversations.

“Hopefully it will get everyone in the conversation,” she said. “Our community no longer will tolerate institutional racism.”

<p>A few hundred students and faculty gathered Wednesday morning at Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library on the University of Alabama campus before marching to the Rose Administration Building to rally in support of ending institutionalized racism within the school's Greek System. </p><p>The group, which is urging the administration to take decisive action, gathered before a banner proclaiming: “The final stand in the Schoolhouse Door.”</p><p>The demonstration came a week after the Crimson White reported that at least two black women were denied bids by traditionally white sororities because of their race, and just days after university president Judy Bonner acknowledged segregation has persisted in the university's Greek community. Bonner has since reiterated a pledge that the administration would take steps to increase diversity. </p><p>Many Wednesday morning expressed admiration for the sorority members who spoke out after alumnae allegedly interfered with the recruitment process to deny bids to the black women. </p><p>Yardena Wolf, a sophomore majoring in Political Science, spoke to the gathering, saying the women inadvertently created a moment for campus to have an honest conversation about diversity and racism. </p><p>The challenges of increasing diversity, Wolf said, are long-term questions for the UA community.</p><p>“These issues are not easy, and they will not be fixed overnight,” she said.</p><p> </p><p>Wolf, a member of Alpha Omicron Pi, believes the 50 years since UA's successful integration isn't that much time to overcome all of the many racial issues that persist in campus culture. </p><p>Wolf said integration of traditionally white sororities was a frequent topic during fall rush in August, with sorority members speculating whether it would happen this year or next.</p><p> </p><p>“These girls who came, they were amazing,” Wolf said of the black women who participated in the fall rush in August. </p><p> </p><p>Kortlan Patterson, a sophomore from Houston who is not a member of a Greek organization, spoke at the rally, echoing Wolf's calls for a campus conversation about the challenges of integration. </p><p>Patterson said she believes the efforts of campus groups, including Greek and non-Greek, will help continue the push for reforms.</p><p>“I think because we have a partnership it will help with accountability for lasting change,” Patterson said. </p><p>Lloyd Wyse, a junior management information systems major, believes the administration's response thus far has been “a knee-jerk reaction to the media coverage.” Furthermore, she hopes the demonstration will help ensure permanent changes. </p><p>Wyse said he is fine with the concept of exclusive organizations -- so long as the membership criteria is based on achievement. The problem is when characteristics people have no control over, such as race, are considered. </p><p>“That's not Ok,” he said. </p><p>Sam Gerard, president of the College Democrats, said he hopes for more discussion with the administration about “tactile” things that can be done. </p><p>“To have something substantial happen, rather than a few videos,” he said. </p><p>Gerard also hopes the campus community remains focused enough to sustain a push for changes. </p><p>“It's very easy for the student body to forget about events like this,” he added. </p><p>Bonner, who, at the behest of organizers, made a brief appearance at Wednesday's rally, said afterward, she had been aware of the historic segregation among traditionally all-white and all-black Greek organizations, and had been working on plans to address the situation before reports broke of discrimination in sorority recruitment last week. </p><p>Bonner said the preliminary work included removing barriers to integration, real or perceived, within the Greek organizations. </p><p> “In order for change to come about, there has to be white students who want to join black groups and there have to be black students who want to join historically white,” she said. “The students wanted to make this happen. The students said there were barriers that were preventing them from making it happen.”</p><p>Bonner said many internal barriers for sorority members have been identified, such as fear of backlash from their organizations, “procedural issues” and fear of intense media coverage of Greek organizations surrounding historic integrations. </p><p>Bonner used the intense coverage of Carla Ferguson, who joined the Gamma Phi Beta chapter in 2003 as its first black member, as an example.</p><p>“The students did not want to play this out in the media,” Bonner said. </p><p>Bonner and Deborah M. Lane, associate vice president for University relations, said “procedural issues” included the size of the chapters. </p><p>Bonner mandated earlier this week that sororities immediately begin a continuous open-bid process, and the Alabama Panhellenic Association followed by voting Monday to increasing the size of the 17 chapters it oversees to 360. </p><p>Bonner said the university has been working with local and national chapters to address concerns about alleged interference by alumnae. </p><p>Bonner reiterated that the university would not tolerate discrimination in any of its campus organizations. </p><p>The rally, organized by students, drew admiration from the many of the faculty and instructors in attendance.</p><p> “I'm thrilled, and I love that its jam packed with students,” Faculty Senate President Steve Miller said. </p><p>Said Faculty Sen. Steven Bunker, an associate professor or History, “It's a very good sign for reform on this campus.”</p><p>Michelle Fuentes, a 28-year-old doctoral student in Political Science, said the rally was incredible. </p><p>Fuentes, who wore a yellow bandanna that signified a leadership role in the gathering, said the undergraduates used social media and calls to friends and acquaintances to organize participants. She called the rally an important point in her graduate and undergraduate career at UA. </p><p>“It's impressive to see it happening today,” she said.</p><p>Fuentes, a California native, came to the university 10 years ago and pledged a sorority with the expectation of finding a wonderful sisterhood.</p><p>“I saw those Greek houses with rose-colored eyes,” she said.</p><p>Fuentes was disappointed to discover a lack of diversity and was put off by the way sororities participated in campus politics.</p><p>Like many of the students and faculty at the gathering, Fuentes called the administration's acknowledgement of racial segregation among the Greeks and assurances action would be taken to increase diversity, a positive step.</p><p>Fuentes said organizers hope to continue the effort with future events and other public conversations.</p><p>“Hopefully it will get everyone in the conversation,” she said. “Our community no longer will tolerate institutional racism.”</p><center><p>***************</p><p><i>Reach Ed Enoch at <a href="mailto:Ed.Enoch@tuscaloosanews.com">ed.enoch@tuscaloosanews.com</a> or 205.722.0209.&nbsp;</i></p><p><div class="fb-like" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/tuscnews" data-send="false" data-layout="button_count" data-width="200" data-show-faces="false" data-font="tahoma"></div><i>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/tuscnews">Tuscaloosa News coverage on Facebook</a></i></p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/EdEnoch" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @EdEnoch</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?screen_name=EdEnoch" class="twitter-mention-button" data-size="large" data-related="tuscaloosanews">Tweet to @EdEnoch</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script></p>